


don’t you know that we’s a family

by yousetmyheartonfire



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types
Genre: Confessions, Happy Ending, It’s 1am and I have Big Feelings™️, Jack Kelly Needs a Hug, M/M, Post-Canon, rooftop, soft angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-13
Updated: 2019-02-13
Packaged: 2019-10-27 08:46:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17763596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yousetmyheartonfire/pseuds/yousetmyheartonfire
Summary: The strike is over and David is back in school, but Jack doesn’t know what to do now.





	don’t you know that we’s a family

**Author's Note:**

> It’s another late night and I am in my feelings. Anyways, this is after the strike for movie-verse.

There were a million reasons not to fall in love with Jack Kelly. David knew because he found himself listing them off in his mind whenever he caught a glimpse of his friend’s mischievous smile. There were obvious ones: Jack had gone out with his sister, he was a delinquent, he was a boy. Of course, none of these reasons really mattered when he saw the other newsie. All logic seemed to be thrown out the window whenever he was around.

How could David let himself fall so deeply in love with someone who wouldn’t return his feelings? Maybe it was when Jack returned in Teddy Roosevelt’s carriage, choosing them over Santa Fe. Maybe it was when Jack cornered him in the alleyway after David saved him from Pulitzer. It could’ve even been as soon as the first moment they bumped into each other when Jack, with a glint in his eye, replied he was “running.”

None of that mattered now, of course. The days of the strike were long behind them, and David was back at school. It seemed strange to be learning about history when he had just spent his time making it. It definitely put things into perspective. He spent yet another night trying to study for a test, but it really did seem so unimportant after everything that happened.

The worst part about being back in school was that he didn’t see the other newsboys as often. He wasn’t exactly the most popular kid in school, not even after the strike, so he considered the Newsies his only real friends. It was weird that he spent all that time fighting for the Newsies, only to leave them once his dad was back at work. He especially missed selling papers with Jack. It wasn’t that he really wanted to go back to school, he just had to. His parents told him that he couldn’t sell papers forever, and he had to admit that they were right.

He may or may not have been dozing off over his notebook when there was a light tapping at his window.He jolted up and saw Jack waving to him. Shaking his head, he crossed his room and opened up the window.

“Jack?” He whispered.

Jack smiled. “Hey there stranger.”

David shushed him and stepped out onto the fire escape, closing the window almost completely behind him. Wordlessly, they went up to the rooftop to talk.

“Do you need something?” David asked, sounding like a doting mother.

“Nah, I just missed ya. It gets lonely selling papes by yourself ya know,” Jack replied looking out at the city.

David shook his head. “Believe me, I’d rather be out there too, but I had to go back to school.”

Jack hummed. “Yeah, yeah. Just remember me when you’re rich.” He looked over at David.

David picked at a hangnail. “Yeah, right. What about you? How much longer can you sell papers for?”

Jack looked away, saying nothing.

After a moment, he said, “I’m almost eighteen, Dave.”

David looked off at the skyline Jack seemed to be so fond of, but didn’t find any words to say.

Jack hesitated. “I could always go to Santa Fe...”

David looked at him, feeling something stir inside. “After everything?” He asked. “You would still go? Why do you want to go so badly?”

Jack’s face fell. “I don’t know.” He shook his head. “I can’t sell papes forever, and New York is expensive. I don’t have the money. I’d rather just go somewhere where things are simpler.”

David sighed. “Why haven’t you gone then?” It came out softly, almost sadly, and Jack was taken aback. David looked at him sincerely. “Why did you come back?”

Jack swallowed. “The newsies. Crutchie. Sarah. Les.” There was a pause that may have only been a second, but felt like an eternity. “You.”

David gripped his shoulder. “You’ve got family here. We’ll take care of you when you can’t sell anymore. All Santa Fe has got is dirt.”

Jack fell into his arms and it was probably the first hug he’d gotten in a while. Jack was clinging to him like a child and David tried not to let tears cloud his eyes.

When they parted, David could see streaks under Jack’s eyes, and he looked much older than he was. They still held on to each other’s arms.

“You hug all the newsboys like that?” David tried to cheer Jack up.

He looked at him with meaning in his eyes. “No. Just you.”

David wanted to lean in, but he thought of Sarah. Jack was thinking the same thing, but leaned forward anyways. David looked away.

“What about my sister?”

Jack grimaced. “I don’t think she wants me around...”

David blinked. “Why not? She sure had no problem with you after the strike was over.” He laughed dryly.

Jack ducked his head. “Yeah, til I told her there was someone else.”

David paled. “You should go to that other girl then.”

“Davey,” Jack smiled, looking into his eyes. “I did.”

David raised an eyebrow. “Who’s the lucky girl?”

Jack shook his head, bringing David’s hand up to his lips. He kissed it as if he were a gentleman and saw David’s eyes widen.

He smiled and David looked at him, head spinning. Jack cupped his face. “Can I—“ he never finished his sentence as David finally came to his senses and let his lips do the talking.

There were a million reasons not to fall in love with Jack Kelly, but David forgot about them all once their lips connected.


End file.
